I encounter this problem so often, it would seem
someone would have solved it now... I do not see such
solution in front of me now, and thus I inquire :-)

The newest Inkscape /or/ Gimp /or/ whatever popular
application is available... and I, with thousands of
enthused fans want to try it... cannot we have a
[live CD], including a most up-to-date linux base
system, loading which CD will prompt us, something
like... "you are running Live Preview... please click on
application file to test"... and this would look for files
on a USB or other portable storage, sufficient to loading
and running the new version of this app.

To me, this is entirely workable, although I have no idea
how it could be implemented.
I do feel it would be a major improvement over the present
way of doing this, requiring us to download an entire disk
of stuff, most of which we will not use, or which would
conflict with what is on the system presently.

Backports seem to be an on/or/off proposition... and, when
we're talking brand new package releases, they always seem
to ask for libraries we dont have... but, all this whining
is clouding the good idea(!). What do we think here ? do-able ?

END

Mmmm...Do you mean you want to use gimp or similar app on linux without having to have a bunch of other apps installed or what?

ummm... that isnt specifically it... but close enough to
warrant a reply(!).

Im thinking again of a Live-CD which would essentially
have no applications other than a working base system on it...
so... a CD combined with files from a USB, which would be loaded
together into a single session to test the newer app. You
kind of said it !

In fact, wouldnt it be great for application people to package
their new releases together with the minimal with a base system
the application needed ? We could download and run just the
particular application !

Actually Tinycore/Microcore is exactly that.

You only have to download the app you want

Example; I want Gimp, Firefox(and flash9 or 10) and Rox-filer
I simply open the apps browser, they download and autoinstall
now I have a simple desktop with 3 good apps + their depends and nothing else

the tinycore base with X window (flwm or jwm) is 11mb!
with above apps maybe 35mb

you can designate different folders so you can boot with different apps at boot
OR tinycore can also hold it's apps in qemu-img's it calls tcvd's
each tcvd can be a different "flavor"
containg different apps

for example, I made some for tinycore-1.4.3
which I have available
just download tinycore 1.4.3 iso
( http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/...linux/release/ )

then download a "flavor" or make one
( http://multidistro.com/downloads/tc_...c_flavors.html )
note they will de-compress to 300-500mb!
they are full of apps!
using tcvd's, see the example menu.lst there too.

Microcore is similar, but we'll talk about that if you still interested

Only thing you can't do is change apps "on the fly", meaning changing from one flavor to another, only at boot

....

So, is that kinda what your lookin for or no?

It can get pretty deep with tinycore/microcore

I only use version 2.1 which is supposedly "testing", but it runs great, has more apps, and if you go complain(nicely) or ask for something to be fixed at tinycore forum, they will get it done pretty quick.

It's really easy to remaster, and it runs great on all my computers
a toshiba 7000ct lappy 160mb ram 4 gb hd
hp a810n amd athlon64 3300+ 1gb ram
emachines athlonXP 2200+ 768mb RAM

it does, however run in ram, and if you add too many apps, it will lock up.
with 1gb of mem no problem, but on 128mb machine, use opera and light apps.

so, what do you wanna do?

...such a perfect match for the problem I stated... my only
remaining reservation is how tinycore may work out respecting
available base system, and/or libraries required by any given
newly released application.
Tinycore may be bleeding edge, or it may use [the last most
stable] whatever... something I cant discuss intelligently
without trying it... it sounds so cool... it has to be my
next project !

Lol, no doubt

I am writing this from my new install rescue cd/usb, right now testing browserpuppy4.7 syslinux part/menu's on 2gb fat32 usb
Gotta copy everything on fat32 usb to my other 4gb ext3/grub usb so I can test it too with new rescuecd/usb

I already tested both grub iso and isolinux iso

see this post, you wanna test it?
its 500mb and uploaded in about 3hrs
see post and screenshots
( http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...stions-736731/ )

many thanks... I will bring my USB tomorrow, and download
this to try. doors are closing presently, or Id stay to
play some more :-)